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Tag: 2015

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people currently claiming legacy benefits he expects to have transferred to universal credit by the end of the current Parliament.

    Priti Patel

    It is not possible to predict whether or not people currently claiming benefits will claim Universal Credit in the next five years. The numbers of claimants in receipt of Universal Credit at any given point will vary according to a number of factors, such as the economic climate and developments in Government policy. Even if this data was published, such forecasts may change over time.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what her policy is on extending the time in which women may take a pregnancy and maternity discrimination case against their employers to a tribunal from three to 12 months.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government awaits the final report on pregnancy and maternity discrimination and will carefully consider any recommendations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission before deciding on next steps.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans are in place to reduce the number of unplanned closures of the East Coast Main Line.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport measures the performance of franchised train operators through a range of metrics as specified within their franchise agreements. The Office of Rail and Road monitor the performance of Network Rail. We expect all in the rail industry to work together to ensure good performance for its customers.

  • Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Burt of Solihull – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how they will assess higher education institutions to determine whether they are delivering effective outcomes for widening access and social mobility.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    Universities wishing to charge higher fees must agree Access Agreements with the independent Director of Fair Access, showing what more they will do to widen access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. These Access Agreements include measures and benchmarks for success, in line with the universities’ own particular mission and challenges.

    The Director of Fair Access monitors the performance of Universities against their targets and provides a report each year on the progress that has been made.

    The Green Paper Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice, CM 9141 sets out additional steps the Government plans to take to increase the proportion of students from disadvantaged background entering higher education including through the new guidance that we plan to issue to the Director of Fair Access, and through the social mobility taskforce being set up by Universities UK.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13044, what the (a) technical, (b) regulatory and (c) contractual reasons were for delays at (i) Olkiluoto 3 and (ii) Flamanville 3 reactors.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The causes of the delays at Olkiluoto 3 include complex contractual structures and a series of design changes suggested by the local regulator after the start of construction. Hinkley Point C will commence construction with a more mature design. Our different regulatory regime and improved contracting arrangements will ensure that issues will not arise in the UK.

    Flamanville 3 has experienced delays as a result of changes to the design after the start of construction, changes to regulatory requirements, including modifications to take account of lessons learned from the accident at Fukushima in 2011, and quality problems with key components. In the UK, responsibility for delivery and compliance with regulatory requirements lies with EDF and its co-investors. The shareholders in the project carry the full construction risk.

    EDF Energy, overseen by the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation, will apply any relevant lessons learned and ensure the delivery of high standards of nuclear safety for its new nuclear power plants in the UK.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements are in place to provide financial and other travel assistance to failed asylum seekers to enable them to return home; and what assessment they have made of whether those arrangements are being used in Northern Ireland, and to what degree.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office offers assistance to failed asylum seekers who wish to return to their country of origin, including help with flights, travel documentation and financial assistance where necessary. Voluntary departures are designed to achieve a dignified return for those individuals with the most complex needs who wish to arrange their own return from the UK. This assistance is available throughout the UK including Northern Ireland and we do not target particular areas or groups.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will take steps in support of the African Group’s agreement on a Global Goal for Adaptation at the Paris Climate Conference in December.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government supports the view that the Paris Agreement should set out a long term direction for all countries and the international community on adaptation, which should encourage all countries to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and strengthen resilience, in order to enable climate resilient sustainable development.

  • Lord Renwick of Clifton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Renwick of Clifton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Renwick of Clifton on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the UK overseas aid budget is devoted to job creation.

    Baroness Verma

    DFID has committed to increase spending on economic development to £1.8 billion by 2015/16. This will help to create more and better jobs, including for women and youth, supporting countries to lift themselves out of poverty and aid dependency.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which (a) retired civil servants and (b) former Ministers have travelled to Libya at public expense since October 2011; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since 2011, the Government has funded visits to Libya by current officials and Ministers as part of regular diplomatic relations. In addition, in periods when the security situation in Libya permitted it, a number of visits to Libya, including by Jonathan Powell the Prime Minister’s Envoy to Libya, have been funded by HMG.

    No retired civil servants or former ministers have visited Libya at public expense.

  • Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Watson of Invergowrie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost per pupil of auditing the accounts of a 1,000-pupil secondary school, in (1) the maintained sector, and (2) the academy sector.

    Lord Nash

    Schools in the maintained sector do not require an external audit as this is undertaken at local authority level.

    Each academy trust’s audit fees vary reflecting a number of different factors such as the auditing firm used and the complexity of the business. We are, therefore, unable to provide an estimation of audit fees on a cost per pupil basis for a 1,000-pupil secondary school.